I just got back late last night from the ShareASale ThinkTank 2009 at The Resort at Pelican Hill in Newport Coast, California, which took place October 23-25, 2009.

If I had to choose one word to describe the event, it would be “spectacular”.

What makes this affiliate network event so unique is that all invited guests are provided with complimentary accommodations in a beautiful resort, food and entertainment in exchange for their collective brainpower to help identify new ways in which to increase their respective businesses and enhance the ShareASale platform.

What is interesting is that one would expect that only top-tier affiliates and merchants would be invited, yet there were many up-and-coming affiliate marketers in attendance, eager to gain knowledge and build new relationships.

I arrived a day early and was fortunate to attend the Yankee game (although everyone in California was calling it the Angels game)with some long-time affiliate marketing buddies.

The conference started the next day with the annual golf-outing with ShareASale’s CEO, Brian Littleton. I preferred to sit the round out and instead take some pictures and video of the golfers as I tormented them (and the non-ShareASaleThinkTank-players) with my crazy golf cart antics.

That evening’s event consisted of the Sunset Welcome Reception and dinner which was a fun, networking experience loaded with yummy sushi, lobster, pasta and more. It was the perfect setting to rekindle old business relationships and forge new ones.

After breakfast on Saturday, the day was filled with sessions geared towards understanding various demographics including women, men, education and life experience and home/office. This was followed by a Vendor Lunch in which tables were set up so that attendees could have the opportunity to speak with the various participating companies. My business partner Shawn and I manned our Affiliate Summit / FeedFront Magazine table and it worked out great for us.

From 2pm-6pm, there were exhibit opportunities for Merchants to meet with current and potential affiliates. Unlike your traditional exhibit hall, there were no booths. Rather, each exhibitor manned their “Cabana” outside, overlooking the pool.

Saturday night was a “free-night”, so a bunch of us went out to Javier’s Cantina for dinner and headed back to the hotel to continue chatting the evening away.

Sunday’s breakfast was followed by the “Things We Need to Fix” session in which every attendee had the opportunity to express their opinions in person to CEO, Brian Littleton. Many feature requests, suggestions and even a few complaints were addressed which will help shape future ShareASale offerings and enhance their already dynamic platform.

This is my 3rd ThinkTank and by far, it’s been the best. Hopefully one of the suggestions that came up during the “Things We Need to Fix” session will be instituted. If it is, maybe I’ll see you in Hawaii for ShareASaleThinkTank 2010

To view the rest of my ShareASale ThinkTank 2009 Photo Collection, please click the image below:

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My guest today is Brian Littleton, one of the sharpest and most humble online marketers that I know. He is the CEO of ShareASale, a Chicago-based provider of e-commerce tracking and affiliate management solutions.

Brian is known for being a crusader of fair affiliate practices for many years; he’ll tickle the ivories to entertain friends and business associates on command; and has to be one of the top ten most eligible bachelors in the affiliate marketing industry.

In this podcast, Brian talks about:

What he would be doing if he wasn’t doing what he’s doing now

Listen to BigMouthStrikesAgain.fm above, on GeekCast.fm, or download to iTunes.

I just finished reading a post that my business partner, Shawn Collins had up on his blog, entitled Cynical Marketing, which really hit home.

In the post, Shawn talks about how there are some marketers out there that simply don’t get the fact that not everything they do has to revolve around making money. They forget that sometimes, it’s more important to just give back.

The timing of his post couldn’t be more relevant to me. You see, today I was approached by someone who read my post regarding me coming out of affiliate management retirement to help support breast cancer research and treatment – a cause that is very close to my heart.

This marketer had the chutzpah to ask me what my angle was and why on earth would I bust my ass to grow someone else’s company when there was absolutely nothing at stake for me.

Rather than chastising him for his ludicrous implications, I simply told him how I felt.

Giving is in my DNA and since affiliate marketing is what I do best, it seemed like a natural fit.

He followed up with a “you’re nuts.”

You know what, Mr. Cynical Marketer? Maybe I am.

But I keep very good company.

Aside from the folks that Shawn mentioned in his post that give back to the online marketing community without ever asking for a thing back (Haiko de Poel, Jr., Scott Jangro, Jim Kukral, Melanie Seery, Kellie Stevens), I can think of dozens of marketers (including Shawn, who neglected to name himself) who do the same.

Chris Brogan who takes the time to answer every single questions he’s asked on Twitter; Brian Clark who provides amazing free content on CopyBlogger.com everyday; Brian Littleton of ShareASale who takes the time to educate his merchants and affiliate marketers to both make the affiliate marketing industry better and push it forward; all of the folks that walked 60-miles with me to raise money for breast cancer research; Jeremy Schoemaker who provides dozens of case studies and tips to marketers to grow their businesses — the list goes on and on.

Now, it’s not to say that I’m averse to making money. I think I do a pretty good job at it. So do all of the people that I’ve mentioned above.

Maybe I’m just an idealist, but I believe that when one does well, there is an inherent responsibility to give back to the industries that have helped us get to where we are today and to help the less fortunate.

So, to all of the other idealists out there that give so much, with no strings attached – I salute you. Please keep doing what you’re doing. You ARE making a difference.

Luke 12:48 “From everyone who has been given much, much will be required, and from the one who has been entrusted with much, even more will be asked.

The pictures from the last ShareASale “Under the Stars” Party that was held during Affiliate Summit 2008 West in Vegas this past February are finally available.

The party was held in one of the Sky Villas on the top floors of the Fantasy Tower in the Palms Hotel. In keeping with custom, Brian Littleton of ShareASale.com, did it up again — upscale style — a tradition we could all get used to.

I’m glad that the pictures are finally available. It brought back some great memories!

I am on my way to Boston for a meeting with the Seaport Hotel and World Trade Center, where the Affiliate Summit 2008 East show will be held in August. Shawn Collins is meeting me there, so we figured that we’d host a little Affiliate Marketing Get-Together at Cheers at Faneuil Hall this evening — just because.

In celebration of Good People Day today, the flash holiday masterminded by Gary Vaynerchuk (who is also Good People), I would like to honor Brian Littleton, CEO of ShareASale.com.

Brian is Good People. Watch my video and see why.